firbeck 859 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Great picture Chulla, it's the only one I've ever come across that was taken that day, have you any more of the event? I remember the airshow well, it was actually Whitsun 1972, 43 years ago, why I didn't take any pictures is a long and sad story, as I'm re-potting plants at the moment I'll leave it for another day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 The last air display at Hucknall was on 28 May 1973. Pics below taken on that date show Rolls-Royce's Spitfire, a Gnat of the Red Arrows, the Blue Angles' support C-130 Hercules, and one of the team's F-4 Phantoms. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Anyone spot the DC-3 over Nottingham today? Came very low over Arnold and had to climb as it approached Bestwood. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Could it have been something to do with it being Arnold Festival ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Could very well have been. It travelled over Mapperley Tops dropped down over What appeared to be Arnold park, climbed slightly and passed over Bestwood Park about 200ft. I could clearly see a chap stood in the open side door. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Pianoman 1,535 Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 It came over Eastwood flying fairly low pointing towards Derbyshire. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,507 Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 RobL got a nice photo of the plane going over Arnold. He put it on Facebook. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Can we have it on here too RobL, please? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob.L 1,090 Posted June 23, 2015 Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 As you asked so nicely, and as I remembered that I do still have a Photobucket account... 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted June 23, 2015 Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 Thanks Rob, that's the baby, D-Day markings I believe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob.L 1,090 Posted June 23, 2015 Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 Here, have another! Both of these were taken from my back garden, so I had very little time to set up, focus, and press the button. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,872 Posted June 24, 2015 Report Share Posted June 24, 2015 The Dakota will be flying over Wollaton for the armed forces day on Saturday and Sunday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Pianoman 1,535 Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 A few pictures taken at Hucknall Air Display c. 1966/7. 120 roll film on an Agfa Isolette #1 Red Arrows Gnat, #2 & 3 Fairey Swordfish, #4 5 & 6, deHavilland Mosquito, #7 Dakota 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Antoni 8 Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 A small Polish training unit was formed within 18 OTU at RAF Hucknall in March of 1940. Consisting of 40 flying and ground personnel, work commenced on 1st April. The intention was that they would become the nucleus for the formation of 300 (Polish) Squadron. In late June they left for Bramcote, Warks, for final training. 18 OTU/Bramcote became the main training centre for Polish Bomber crews. Polish servicing crew of 18 OTU loading practice bombs at RAF Hucknall. In January 1941 No. 1 Polish Flying Training School was established at Hucknall. It was composed of an Elementary Flying Training Squadron, an Intermediate Training Squadron and a grading and testing flight. To begin with only candidates with flying experience were admitted. Proficiency was tested in the EFT squadron with two to three hours flying Tiger Moths and a theoretical examination. Results determined whether the student was sent on to the IT squadron or to the grading and testing flight. Only pilots previously fully trained in Poland were directed to this flight. Initially it was equipped with Fairey Battles and then from April 1941 also Airspeed Oxfords. After a conversion course on these aircraft, about 10 hours, flying time, students were posted to an OTU. Courses for those sent to the IT squadron lasted for four months. Along with 50 hours of flying instruction the course included theoretical and practical instruction in airmanship, navigation, meteorology, and armament. At the beginning all the commanders of the Polish school were British with Polish understudies. Some of the instructors, who had completed special short refresher instructor courses at 15 EFTS near Carlisle, were Polish. More Poles were gradually appointed. During the first half of 1941 150 pupils passed out from the grading and testing flight and 47 received their pilots wings. Having completed intermediate training. However the capacity of the school was seriously inadequate to meet the pilot requirements of the rapidly expanding PAF. As a result, in June 1941, a major organisation of PAF training was undertaken. On 15th June the school's grading and testing was taken over by a new No. 16 (Polish) SFTS formed at Hucknall to train pilots to the “wings” standard. The new school was to be transferred to Newton make room for No 25 (Polish) EFTS which was organised on the equivalent RAF model for training new recruits, manned by an all polish staff. It began to function in May 1941 at Peterborough and moved to Hucknall on 17th July replacing the EFT squadron of the former No 1 Polish School. It consisted of two squadron of two flights operating Tiger Moth trainers, later supplemented by Avro Ansons. On 15th July 16 SFTS, composed of two squadrons of four flights, moved to Newton with an auxiliary landing ground at Orston but winter conditions caused problems and various other airfields had to be used. In December 1942 special instructors' courses for the needs of the EFTS were started at Hucknall that eventually provided 49 instructors in 12 successive courses that ran until November 1945. Expansion of the school eventually made it necessary to take over an auxiliary airfield at Firbeck in February 1943. http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o31/alachetta/IMG_0007_zpstwvzgnpg.jpg[/img] Flying over Newstead Abbey. http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o31/alachetta/IMG_zpsbcbsmt2s.jpg[/img] Group of instructors in front of Tiger Moth trainer. On the left S/Ldr Jan Czerny, 302 Squadron BoB participant. Second from right F/Lt Edmund Jereczek who fought in BoB with 43 and 229 squadrons. Third from right W/O Mirosław Wojciechowski, 303 fighter pilot during 1940-1941. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Antoni 8 Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Group of instructors in front of Tiger Moth trainer. On the left S/Ldr Jan Czerny, 302 Squadron BoB participant. Second from right F/Lt Edmund Jereczek who fought in BoB with 43 and 229 squadrons. Third from right W/O Mirosław Wojciechowski, 303 fighter pilot during 1940-1941. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,091 Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Welcome Antoni, great postings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Pianoman 1,535 Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Very good. My Father used to ride his bike around Hucknall Airfield during wartime and had told me about those Fairey Battles (first picture) parked around. Apparently there was quite a lot of them. I didn't know they were Polski Dywyzyon! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor S 2,003 Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Welcome to Nottstalgia, Antoni. I look forward to sharing your memories... Great posts! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob.L 1,090 Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 Czesc, Antoni! Some good pics there. My wife's uncle, Jan, was in 300 squadron, as radio operator on a Lancaster. I don't know if he trained at Hucknall, but both he and his navigator settled here after the war. http://www.polishairforce.pl/_1gawel.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Antoni 8 Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 Initial training for radio operators was at the Polish Technical Training School at No1 School of Technical Training RAF Halton and then 18 OTU Bramcote. SW279/E NG283/W 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Antoni 8 Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 Possibly PA233/J PA233/J 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
woody 552 Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 Living in Hucknall all my life I enjoyed the air displays of years gone by but as our house lay almost in a direct line with the runway we got a look at all the planes arriving in advance of the display. This meant a lot of noise at times, especially when the Vulcan came over (painted white in those days) and we always had a Red Arrow at low level when they performed the bomb burst manoeuvre . The biggest fright we got was when a fuel tank that had detached itself from an English Electric Lightening landed in the middle of the road near our gate and drenched everywhere in kerosene. This must have been around 1960 or 61. Fortunately nobody got hurt and damage was limited but it could have been a lot worse. Things quietened down for a while after that, but test flights got under way again and plane spotting was on the menu again. It wasn't the same when the test beds were built, not enough planes about to keep the interest going. Now the houses are going up the runway has been invaded by off road bikers, unthinkable in years gone by if only by the presence of Rolls Royce security. Another part of Hucknall's history committed to the scrap heap, seems sad that we won't be able to enjoy the sight of a Spitfire or Hurricane giving a disp.lay over the runway again Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mary1947 2,079 Posted October 11, 2016 Report Share Posted October 11, 2016 Hi I have a photo of the Rolls Royce Spitfire with the master sitting at the controls but I think that this was the R/R Spitfire that crashed? Do any members recall the crash? Off the subject What happened to "Morgreen Show" used to live in Hucknall 70s and my two boys always used to get in to see it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted October 11, 2016 Report Share Posted October 11, 2016 The aircraft crashed during its display at Woodford, Manchester on 27 June 1992. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Pianoman 1,535 Posted October 11, 2016 Report Share Posted October 11, 2016 The remains of the aeroplane still exist. They are *supposed* to be going to rebuild it but due to money shortages it hasn't got very far. RR still own another Spitfire that is now with the BBMF. That is the PRU blue PRXIX. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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